Portable cooking apparatus



July 20, 1965 W. O. RUSSELL PORTABLE COOKING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 21, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Var/'672 zffelg ATTORNE July 20, 1965 w. o. RUSSELL PORTABLE COOKING APPARATUS Filed NOV. 2l, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I NVEN TOR 55 Wr/wz awfez.;

ATTORNEYS July 20 1955 w. o. RUSSELL 3,195,442

PORTABLE COOKING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 2l, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEY United States Patent O M' 3,195,442 PORTABLE COKING APPARATUS Warren 0. Russell, Post lce, Rangeley, Maine Filed Nov. 21, 1963, Ser. No. 325,252 9 Claims. (Cl. 99-393) This invention relates to portable cooking devices for either indoor or outdoor use, and particularly adapted for use as a broiler or grill for cookouts or barbecues, for example, on the patios of suburban homes.

The pre-sent invention comprises a novel an-d ingenious Idevelopment of the general principles involved in my prior co-pendi-ng application Serial No. 101,962, tiled April 10, 1961 (als a division of application Serial No. 623,427, led November 20, 1956) and in my co-pending application Serial No. 107,823, tiled May 4, 1961, now matured as United States Patent 3,121,424.

The invention has for its principal object the provision of an electric or gas tir-ed portable cooker of novel and improved constru-ction enabling the device to be readily erected or setup yfor cooking and just as readily collapsed or dismantled and compactly disposed within a portable box, chest, or enclosure which itself forms the supporting 'base for the cooker when in use.

By preference, the chest or enclosure or container is of the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped and may approxi-mate the dimensions or proportions of a cube.

In its preferred embodiment the invention contemplates the provision of a box or chest serving alternatively as a portable container and as .a supporting base for the cooking device, and means for pivotally and slidaibly mounting the source of heat and the grill or grid, in or upon which the meat or other comestible is carried, in adjustable proximity to the fire Preferably a top cover is hinged to the upper rearward edge of the container proper to be swung upwardly and rearwardly for access to the burner. The burner .assembly itself is hinged to the upper forward edge or" the container t-o swing upwardly .and forwardly to a rearwardly inclined position from which it emits heat in a general forward and upward direction, the total heat emission comprising a result-ant of direct radiation and upward and outward convecti-on currents, generally in accordance with the principle enunciated in my prior applications.

In order to be able to position the grid or broiler element in proper position for subjecting the article of food to be cooked to an all-over substantially equal temperature, a pair of arms are supported on forwardly and upwardly inclined tr-acks carried upon the inner side walls of the chest or container, and are adapted to be extended or projected through an opening in the front wall of the container, which opening may be closed by a hinged door.

Upon the outer ends of the arms are arranged sockets yfor the reception of the lower ends of a pair of posts, to Ithe upper ends of which is pivotally adjustably mounted the grill, grid or broiler element.

n In its gen-eric aspects, the invention may be said to involve the use of Huid burners, which would embrace gas and electric burners, although the illustrated embodiment uses gas.

Other objects and features of novelty will be apparentl from the following specification when read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which one embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example.

In the drawings: `FIGURE 1 isa View in perspective of a portable cooking device embodying the principles of my invention;

FIGURE 2 is a view .in vertical cross section taken on a central plane extending fore and aft of the device;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 3 3 of FIGURE 2;

3,195,442 Patented July 20, 1965 FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary section taken on line 4 4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is la fragmentary sectional vies/tr throu-gh the junction of the grill supporting post and the sliding arms to which it is connected and taken along line 5-'5 of FIGUR-E 2;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the cooker in collapsed or folded condition wherein the operative elements are for the most part enclosed Within the chest or container; and

FIGURE 7 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 7-7 of FIGURE 6.

Referring now to FIGURES 1 and 6 of the drawings which respectively show the portable broiler or cooking device in erected and collapsed positions, it will be seen that the chest or cont-einer is indicated by the general reference numeral 10 and is provided with side walls 1-1 and 12, rear wall 13, bottom wall 1-4, a hinged top wall or cover 15', and a front wall which consists chiefly of the hinged bottom pivoted panel 16 and a transverse lintel portion 17.

The front drop door panel 16 is hinged at the forward edge of the bottom panel 14 as at 20 and ythe top hinged lid or panel 1'5 is pivoted to the ilanged upper edge of the rear wall 13 by means of the hinges 21.

When the parts are collapsed and the hinged panels 15 and 16 are closed, the device is substantially completely enclosed for transit and is of the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped except for the projecting edge 24 oi the cover 15 and the gas valve box 25. The cover 15 may be provided with a knob 27 for lifting it and a handle 28 may be provided on the forward hinged panel 16 for a similar purpose. Any convenient type of latch device 29 may be employed for retaining the front panel 16 in closed position.

A notch indica-ted at 30 in FIGURES land 2 may be provided in the Wall 1-1 to accommodate the control box 25 when in folded position as shown in FIGURE 6. When in erected position the box 25 assumes the diagonal inclination shown in FIGURE 1 and it will be seen that it is provided with gas -hose connections 32 and hand operated valves 33 and 34 for controlling the flow of gas to the double burners. lIn an electric embodiment the hose connections would be supplanted by electr-ic wiring connections and the valves 313- and 34 by switches and rheostats.k

Pivoted as by means of the hinges 35 to an angle iron reinforcement strip 36 at the upper edge of the lintel strip' I7 is the burner support or iirebox 40. This burner support comprises a pan 55 and is clearly shown in its collapsed, folded, or nested position in FIGURE 7 of Ithe drawings, from which it is adapted to be raised to a diagonal position forming a tent-like configuration with the lid or top panel 15 of the enclosure 10 as best shown in FIGURES 1 and 2. On the inward or free edge of the bu-rner support 40 is provided a hook flange 4S which in the folded position shown in FIGURE 7 hooks over the supporting bar 44 provide-d near the upper rear edges of the oposite side walls 11 and 12 and limits the movement of the burner device 40 into the container 10. In the extended position, the ilange 45 hooks over the forward-edge of the top panel or lid 15 and serves to secure these mem*- bers in operative position. i

As a source of heat in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, two glow type gas burners 50 and 51v areV provided, these burners being of the general nature of those illustrate-d and described in the Schwank Patents 2,775,294 and 2,870,830. These and similar suitable burners for the present purpose, whether electric or gas tired, provide a source of heat of a glow type rather than of the high pressure Bunsen burner type, and a large percentage of the available heat is by Way of radiation.

Manifolds 53 and 54 are disposed rearwardly of the burners and are carried by the bottom of the' pan-like support 55 of the rebox 40. Suitable connections are suggested `at 56 to the control box 25 which houses the yalvingrSS and 34' supplied by-the pipe or hoseconnection 32- Any suitablesort of ceramicor rneshgrid suggested at 58,'rnay be supportedbetween the burners..

If desired, a suitable collapsible hood arrangement ma be provided on the tirebox asseinbly 40in the form of the center panel 6l) which is hinged to one margin of the pan 'of the burner assembly 40 as at 6l. Side'aps 62 are provided at each side margin of the panel 60 and are hinged thereto asindicatedat'63. Small' spaced plates 65 are secured to the inclined yedges of the aps 62 and are adapted -to straddle the forwardedge of the Wall 66 -of the pan 55 as` indicated clearly in the fragmenf tary'view of FIGURE `4. By means of this hood arrangement any convection currents/which might have `too much of a tendency to ascend vertically are directed forwardly of the burner toward the grid on thebroiler indicated generally by the referenceV numeral 7l?. v Y

The collapsible support for the broiler grid or grill 70 will now be described; As clearly Yshown in FIGURES 2 and 3 of the drawings, along the inner surfaces ofthe side walls 1 1 .and 12 are appropriately secured* the channel pieces and projecting inwardly from these piecesare the angle iron 76 and a strip 77 rsecured thereupon and spaced drip pan 96 is disengaged, the r0ds94 andbail 95 folded, and all of the parts stowed in the lower portion of the chest or container Ilias shown in FIGURE 7, alongwith the valve box 25.

t It is understood that various changes andv modifications may be made in the embodiment illustrated and 'described herein without departing'fromthe scope of the invention as determined by the subjoinedfolairns.

, Having thusdescribed the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

. 1. Portable collapsiblecoolting apparatus, suitable for outdoor use, comprising in combination (a supporting and` enclosing casing of approximately the configuration of a 'rectangular p'arallelepiped, having substantially ysolid bottom, *rearpand side'l walls and open top` and front areasya burner panel wholly contained within the convlines of lsaid casing in collapsed condition, means movdownwardly from anV upper guide-strip 78'which may, ifxfY desired, be of a corrugated configuration as clearly shown in FIGURES 2 and 7 of the drawings.'

Slidably supported between the flange or'strip membersA 77 and 78 are the elongated projectable supportrng bars 80 which maybe connected by the'tie rods 81 at their intermediate portions and bythe tiegrods 82 andy S3. adjacent the somewhat enlarged end portion V857er each Ybar.

The enlarged ends 85-of1the bars 80 are provided with sockets into which the lower ends of the struts or posts A.

are fitted asfclearly shown in FIGURES 2 and 5 the drawings. t p n The grill, grid, roaster basket or other holderlfor the comestible to be cooked, indicated generically at 70 in lof the drawings, may be made Iof'welded rods or in any other suitable way but vis provided, adjacent the center of gravity.` of the holder and its load, withl trunnions 92' which are received in openings or notches 93 inthe upper ends` of the posts 90and means, such as the wing nuts 91,'are

provided for 4adjustably fixing therangular position of the holder 70 with respect t-o the posts 80, whether inV the substantiallyverticalV position shown in VFIGURE 2 or f into a position making more of an angleto the plane 'of' ably mounting said burnerv panel 'for projection "upward'ly beyond" thetop :of s'aidcasing to occupy asubstantiallyforwardly facing position for-use; means for generating relatively vquiescent glow` heat in said burner panel; grill supporting means Vwholly contained vwithin the conti-nesV o-fsaid casing in collapsed condition, means movably mounting said gri-ll supporting means for projection forwardly beyond the front 'of said casing; and a ,grilla'daptedto be', carried by thefforwardly `extending end T of said supporting means and to project upwardly .therefrom intoV proximityy with Vsaid vburner panel `:Z.v Portable collapsiblecooking apparatus, suitable for outdoor use, comprising in combination, a supporting and enclosing rcasing of approximately'the'conguration of a 'rectangular parallelepiped, having substantially lsolid l bottom, rear, .and side walls, Vva Vfront vwall comprising essentially a'pivoted door panel, anda top wally consisting the burners 50 and 51. Similarly, the sliding-barstlt) may be adjusted inwardly or outwardly ofthe box or chest 10, to'adjust the nearness or remoteness of theholder 70 to the burners 50 andV v51. Infact, the holder 70 may be brought rather close to the burners and thehood 60V dispensed with, under certain conditions Iof operation. The cor'rugation of the underside of the continingstrip orange 78 aids in frictionallyretaining its side bar 80 in adjusted position, the side bars 80 having a fairly loose' t lbetween the llanges 77 land panelsl k78 whereby the weight at the outer ends of the bars tends to exert a bending moment on the barsV causingthem to be retained in any set position.

Pivotally supported by the tie rodl betweenthe bars 80 are Aone orv 'more strips or rods 94 whichare also by of a pivoted co-ver'panel; a burner panel wholly contained-within thecontines of said casing in-collapsed condition,;nie`ans movably mounting said burner panel.

`forprojection upwardlybeyond the yplane of the top wall Aof said casing to occupya substantially forwardly facing position for use when said cover panel is opened,

means ,for generatingl relatively quiescent' glow Yheat in said burner panel; grill supporting meansgwholly contained uwithin the conlines'of -said casingY incollapsed i condition, means Vrnoyably mounting sai-dgrill supporting means forfprojection forwardly beyond the plane of the front wall of said lcasing ffor use when said door panel is opened; and ay grill carried bythe' forwardly extendingV end oflsaid supporting means andprojecting the AU-shaped bail 95 suspended from the outer portion of the bars 80. A drip pan 96 is.supported upon Vtherods 94 and the bail 95 so as'to be at all times positioned beneath the holder for the meator other comestible being cooked.

j In disassembling the device from the operative positionl shown in- FIGURES 1 and 2, the meat holder V:or grid 70y is unfastened from the posts 90, the posts 90 are withdrawnfrom the sockets-in the ends* of the bars 80, the

upwardly thefrefrorninto proximity with said'burner panel.

v3. Portable .collapsible cooking apparatus, suitable,v for outdoor use, comprising in combination, a supporting and enclosing casing of 'approximately the V'contiguration of` a rectangular parallelepip'ed, having substantially solid bottom,V rear, and side walls andgopentopfandVv front areas; aburn' e r panel whollyfcontairied withinV the confines of saidfcasing in' collapsed condition, 'meansvmovably `mounting said-burner panel' for projection upwardly beyond the top of, said casing ltooccupy a substantially f supporting means wholly? contained'within the confines qfxsaid casingin collapsedgcondition, means movably forwardly facing position fo ruse; rn-eansnfor generating relativelyquiescent glow heat in'saidbu'rlner panel; grill forwardly facing position for usm-means fforgenerating wardlybeyond 4the front vofsaidcasing; and a grilladapted to v'be carried by the forwardly extending yfend p of said supporting means and to project upwardly therefrom into proximity with said burner panel, said grill supporting means comprising a pair of laterally spaced arms and track means provided on the inner sid-e walls of said casing upon which said arms are supported and guided, said track means comprising inclined vertically spaced llanges, the space between the anges being somewhat greater than the vertical dimension of t-he arms, whereby the weight of the grill and its contents produces a bending moment tending to frictionally hold the arms and the parts supported thereby in adjusted positions along said tracks.

4. T-he apparatus as set forth in claim 3 in which the upper ones of said flanges have transverse corrugations on their under surfaces to increase the frictional holding of said arms.

5. The apparatus as set forth in claim 2 in which the top wall is comprised generally by a cover panel pivoted at its rearward edge and in which said burner panel is pivoted at its forward edge to the casing adjacent the junction of the front and top walls of the latter, and there is provided a stop abutment spanning said casing near the junction of its top and rear walls, the fore and aft extent of said burner panel being somewhat less than that of the pivoted top cover panel, and means providing detachable Contact :between t-he rearward edge of said burner panel and the front edge of said top panel whereby, when both panels are raised, the top panel provides a prop for the burner panel in its operative upwardly and forwardly facing position.

6. The apparatus as set forth in claim 5 in which said burner panel is provided with a collapsible hood comprising a top Hap pivotally connected to the rearward edge of said burner paneland two side flaps pivoted to the side edges of said top flap, all three aps collapsible against the face of the burner panel when the latter is retracted.

7. The apparatus as set forth in claim 2 in which the top wall is comprised generally by a cover panel pivoted at its rearward edge and in which said burner panel is pivoted at its forward edge to the casing adjacent the junction of the front and top walls of the latter, and

means providing detachable contact between a rearward edge of said burner panel and the front edge of said top panel whereby, when both panels are raised, the top panel provides a prop for the burner panel in its operative upwardly and forwardly facing position.

3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 7 in which a control box for the iluid fuel projects laterally from said burner panel beyond the plane of the adjacent side Wall, manual controls are provided on said box, and a notch is provided in the upper edge of said adjacent side wall to accommodate said box when the apparatus is collapsed for Y transport.

9. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which said grill supporting means comprises a pair of laterally spaced arms, and track means are provided on the inner side walls of said casing upon which the arms are supported and guided, and in which there are provided a depending bail pivoted to outward portio-ns of the respective spaced arms, and bars pivoted at more rearward points to said spaced arms and normally extending in a substantial-ly horizontal direction with their forward ends supported by said bail, thus providing means for supporting a drip pan beneath the grill, said bail and said bars being foldable into the plane of said spaced arms lfor collapsing purposes.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,05 8,172l 10/136 Myers 126-25 2,542,335 2/51 Kapit et al. 126-41 X 2,668,527 y2/54- Chambers 126-41 X 2,694,392 11/54 Oatl-ey 126-41 2,885,950 5/59 Stoll et al. 2,946,275 7/ 60 Compton. 3,121,424 2/64 Russell 99--339 X FOREIGN PATENTS 551,167 1/58 Canada.

ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner.

JEROME SCHNALL, Examiner. 

1. PORTABLE COLLAPSIBLE COOKING APPARATUS, SUITABLE FOR OUTDOOR USE, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION (A SUPPORTING AND ENCLOSING CASING OF APPROXIMATELY THE CONFIGURATION OF A RECTANGULAR PARALLELEPIPED, HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY SOLID BOTTOM, REAR, AND SIDE WALLS AND OPEN TOP AND FRONT AREAS; A BURNER PANEL WHOLLY CONTAINED WITHIN THE CONFINES OF SAID CASING IN COLLAPSED CONDITION, MEANS MOVABLY MOUNTING SAID BURNER PANEL FOR PROJECTION UPWARDLY BEYOND THE TOP OF SAID CASING TO OCCUPY A SUBSTANTAIALLY FORWARDLY FACING POSITION FOR USE; MEANS FOR GENERATING RELATIVELY QUIESCENT GLOW HEAT IN SAID BURNER PANEL; GRILL SUPPORTING MEANS WHOLLY CONTAINED WITHIN THE CONFINES OF SAID CASING IN COLLASPED CONDITION, MEANS MOVABLY MOUNTING SAID GRILL SUPPORTING MEANS FOR PROJECTION FORWARDLY BEYOND THE FRONT OF SAID CASING; AND A GRILL ADAPTED TO BE CARRIED BY THE FORWARDLY EXTENDING END OF SAID SUPPORTING MEANS AND TO PROJECT UPWARDLY THEREFROM INTO PROXIMITY WITH SAID BURNER PANEL. 